NYC After Dark: 21 Cool Hotspots to Kick It

It seems as if there are literally a million spots to go to on any given night in New York City. And if you can't decide on a place to drink, dine, or dance? That's precisely why we—along with globetrotting model-musician Julia Cumming—took the liberty of narrowing down the list for you.

Where to Eat: Francophiles (and fans of fine dining) will fall deep in l'amour with Le Coucou (translation: The Hello), where the fancy French fare has already captivated the tastebuds of countless boldface names. 138 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10013

Where to Drink: Stroll over to The Blond, the absurdly chic bar located on the second floor of hip SoHo hotel 11 Howard. Come dressed to impress, and arrive on the early side—once the clock strikes 10, a virtually-impossible-to-get-on guest list is strictly enforced. 11 Howard Street, New York, NY 10013

Where to Party: Atop The James New York Hotel you'll find JIMMY, often dubbed the sexiest rooftop lounge on the isle of Manhattan, thanks to its swanky '70s decor and panoramic views of the city. 15 Thompson St, New York, NY 10013

Where to After Party: If mezcal happens to be your libation of choice, head straight to Ghost Donkey in NoHo. Prepare for sensory overload (in a good way): this Mexican-themed bar is decked out in OTT decor, complete with magenta-tinged party lighting, donkey barware, and bejeweled burro figurines at every turn. 4 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012

Where to After (After) Party: Catch last call at Mother's Ruin. While bespoke speciality cocktails are on the menu, hungry club-goers and laid back locals stop by for a late-night gourmet grilled cheese—washed down by the bar's signature Boozy Slushy. 18 Spring St, New York, NY 10013

Where to Drink: Happy hour hunters rejoice—Rooftop 93 offers a glorious view of uptown Manhattan along with $6 cocktails until 8 P.M. When you're ready to move on, take the elevator straight to the cellar; Mr. Wu's Basement (a fun, hidden hip-hop bar) is in the same building. 93 Bowery, New York, NY 10002

Where to After Party: Nestled in the crook of a blink-and-you'll-miss-it side street is Apothéke, an apothecary-inspired bar, where the mixologists wear lab coats and the menu is fashioned as an old-world prescription list. Elixirs (a.k.a. cocktails) are filed under kookily-named categories like Aphrodisiacs, Hallucinogens, Analeptics, and Psychotropics. 9 Doyers St #1, New York, NY 10013

Where to After (After) Party: Head all the way downtown to Mr. Fongs, a dive bar doling out speciality (but affordable!) Chinese cocktails while cranking kickass cuts on the jukebox. Situated directly underneath the Manhattan Bridge, it's easy to miss. Hint: Follow the well-dressed crowd hopping off the F train at East Broadway — high-profile fashion insiders are known to frequent this haunt. 40 Market St, New York, NY 10002

Where to Eat: At the two-story retro restaurant slash bar, The Flower Shop purposefully trades on its perplexing name and ironically nostalgic '70s style decor to lure in millennial hipsters dying to dine and dance like it's 1977. 107 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002

Where to Drink: Sink into a plush velvet couch at Diego—the sexy bar inside of the new Public Hotel—and toss back a signature cocktail or two, while mingling with the city's prettiest people. 215 Chrystie St, New York, NY 10002

Where to Party: Skate up to The VYNL (a clever acronym for Vintage New York Lifestyle) in the East Village, where you'll partake in bottle service with your squad on the second floor, before two-stepping alongside models, Instagram influencers, and local celebs on the third. 100 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10003

Where to After Party: With a decade under its belt, cheeky Vaudeville-inspired cabaret club The Box remains just as enticing as it was the night their doors flung open. If the Moulin Rouge-like decor doesn't catch your attention, the erotic burlesque show that starts at 1 A.M. most certainly will. (If you can get in, of course.) 189 Chrystie St, New York, NY 10002

Where to After (After) Party: Wind down at Attaboy, an intimate, wistful, speakeasy-style den. Suspender-clad bartenders mix up personalized Prohibition-style drinks based on your libation of choice. 134 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002

Where to Eat: A stone's throw away from the iconic Jane's Carousel, reserve a coveted table across the bridges at Cecconi's Dumbo, the latest outpost of industry insider's international fave. Enjoy an unobstructed view of the lower Manhattan skyline while noshing on handmade pasta, wood oven pizzas, and other Venetian dishes (even if you aren't a Soho House member!). 55 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Where to Drink: Pop up to The 1 Rooftop at Dumbo's 1 Hotel, otherwise known as the It spot to sip on mixed drinks while blasting out like-inducing selfies with a stunning, sweeping view of the Brooklyn Bridge as your backdrop. 60 Furman St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Where to After Party: Skip over to Williamsburg and step inside of Baby's All Right. All business (a.k.a. a Thai street food restaurant) in the front, and a kickass party (a.k.a. a live music venue) in the back, if you're lucky, you just might catch Cumming's rock band Sunflower Bean in action. 146 Broadway, Brooklyn NY 11211

Where to After (After) Party: If hard-hitting techno-house tunes compel you to hit the dance floor, slide into Williamsburg's Schimanski to rock out underneath the trippy purple incandescent lights into the wee hours of the morning. Check the calendar to see which international underground DJ is headlining next, and themes of upcoming sure-to-sell-out raves. 54 N 11th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249

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